God gives music and rubber duckies (?)

While I gave Matthias a bath the other night, he played with a rubber duckie - a gift for our family at a recent "white elephant" Christmas gift exchange. (thanks, Andrea!)

For those who have not bathed a 9 month old recently, you need to understand the mechanics of dealing with a wildly happy baby in a bathtub...Matthias screeches, reaches, slips, slides, splashes, pulls, spits and pries. He is nearly impossible to keep in one place. Gone are the days of relaxed, sweet bathtimes...of momma and baby talking and cooing to one another with gentle water and soap all through the tub, classical music in the background, older children all around ready to deliver soap, towel, new diaper, freshly washed baby pajamas.

Nope. Now it's a marathon. How quickly can baby get clean? How can I possibly keep his pudgy hands away from the jade plant that is perched on the seat of the tub in our bathroom? How can momma anticipate his next move while trying to keep the temperature of the water not too hot, not too cold?

So in my feeble attempt to distract him these days while getting him clean, I discovered the magic of the rubber duckie. He loves the silly thing! He throws it and it floats back. He sucks on it and momma does not remove it from his mouth. He can hang onto it with those precious little hands even though it is super soapy and slippery. And then, in the midst of his latest bath, music comes back to my tired brain. Granted, it was not a Bible song. It does nothing to encourage the saints, convince men of sin, or help us stay on the straight and narrow. But Matthias responded to the music and loved it. Can you remember the Bert and Ernie record that we used to play constantly? I think you got it for your birthday one year, Erik. See if you can recall the tune.

Rubber duckie, you're the one. You make bathtime lots of fun.
Rubber duckie, I'm awfully fond of you. Booboobeedoo.
Rubber duckie, you're so fine. And I'm lucky that you're mine.
Rubber duckie, I'm awfully fond of you!

So teach your children to sing - silly songs, fun songs, but also songs that do encourage the saints. Teach them songs that they will remember FOREVER. Start with Jesus Loves Me, Tell Me the Story of Jesus, Amazing Grace. Because what we sing, we will remember. Kiss a baby today and SING!